The Star-Democrat from Easton, Maryland • Page 1

Vikings clinch North Bay side title p. IB ttaiir-OeinrBdDcraft Tlhe February 22, 1995 Easton, Maryland Thirty-five Cents Wednesday Edition Jy ry selected tor Whitby tria Defendant accused of shooting to death Stevensville brothers defense lawyer Larry Polen to select seven men and five women for the jury duty. The jury includes six white men, one black man, four white women and a black woman. One alternate is a black man and the other a white woman. The mixed jury seemed to please Polen and Whitby's girlfriend, Julie Brooks, who is also the sister of the slain men.

"I was looking for a mix so I'm happy with it," Polen said. "It's supposed to be a jury of your peers, so I'm pleased," Brooks said. Jensen did not comment officially; but pointed out he used only three of his 10 peremptory strikes. Jensen and Polen filed last-minute motions midway through jury selection. Polen filed a motion to eliminate certain evidence gathered by the Caroline County Grand Jury, which investigated the case after it was dropped by Jensen last March.

Polen labeled the evidence as "free discovery." He said the state was at an advantage in the case because the state is familiar with the evidence displayed during the grand jury hearings. "This case never really stopped in 1994," Polen said. The grand jury indicted Whitby in October and he was again charged with essentially the same offenses. Whitby is charged with double counts of first and second degree murder, By AL PERRY Staff Writer DENTON Jury selection in the trial of accused double murder Winnie Perry Whitby III was completed Tuesday at the Caroline County courthouse. Whitby is standing trial for the 1993 murders of Stevensville brothers Michael and Steven Brooks.

This is the second time he has been charged, but the first time he has actually gone to trial in the case. The brothers were found shot to death, thejr bodies in a car parked in rural Caroline County near Hillslboro in August 1993. It took all day Tuesday for State's Attorney Christian Jensen and Whitby's manslaughter and single counts of carrying a weapon and use of a weapon in the commission of a crime. "The grand jury was conducting an investigation," Jensen said. "That's their function." Judge J.

Owen Wise dismissed the motion. He also ruled on a motion to eliminate filed by Jensen. Jensen asked Wise to prevent reference to "certain prior bad acts" andor criminal records of certain state's witnesses. Wise said he would rule during the trial on a witness-to-witness basis. Jensen earlier described "bad acts" as acts that reflect Please see TRIAL, p.

10A Talbot schools ask $4.5 million funding boost '-if Foggy day Opinions offered on park plan By MARCIE ALVARADO Staff Writer EASTON Citizens expressed a variety of opinions at Monday's Rails to Trails hearing, but there was no clear consensus on what Eastonians want along the abandoned railroad tracks. Officials are beginning the design phase of the Rails to Trails project and Monday were soliciting public opinion. Some citizens spoke in favor of building a two-mile linear park along the defunct railroad from Route 50 to Idlewild Park. Town officials said $318,000 in transportation funds would be used to construct the 10-foot wide blacktop path. Town Engineer Hugh Grunden said even if a trail is built, the state could convert the strip back to a railroad with only 90 days notice.

Other neighbors said a trail will increase crime and trash in the area. Resident Tim McNeal said property values near the trail may decrease if a trail is constructed. Several other citizens expressed the same concerns and said they oppose the trail. Easton business owners said converting the railroad to a trail would be wasting a valuable resource. They spoke of businessman Bill Bartosh's desire to bring an excursion train to Easton.

Business owner Priscilla Morris and other speakers said the train would boost Easton's economy and attract tourists. The rails should not be removed until efforts to bring an excursion train to Easton are exhausted, busi-nesspeople argued. "We have to play to our strengths," Morris said. At press time Monday night the hearing was continuing and Bartosh had not addressed the Please see TRAIL, p. 10A I II Bromwell said he was "not aware of any family members or friends Irby may know on the West Coast.

Bromwell said police are investigating the tip and still attempting to locate Irby. Police had been looking for Irby in New York, where he apparently fled after allegedly kidnapping Sharps' 20-year-old granddaughter, Eugenia Tovonya Bromwell, also of 722 Washington St. Police believe Irby shot Sharps and kidnapped Bromwell, taking his girlfriend "against her will" to the New York area after the murder. Irby is wanted on charges of A workboat rests quietly in St. Michaels harbor Tuesday morning as a thick blanket of fog covered the Mid-Shore area.

Suspect in murder may have fled to West Coast By LEN FOXWELL Staff Writer EASTON The Talbot County Board of Education, currently bearing the brunt of financial crisis, will nonetheless ask the county council for a $4.5 million funding increase for fiscal 1996. The board will present a $26.7 million request at a budget review next week, 20 percent more than the $22.15 million approved by the council last year. The board had asked for $22.5 minion in fiscal 1995, which ends on June 30. The proposed increase comes soon after the county council, citing insufficient funds, indefinitely postponed several school construction and computer projects. The decision put the brakes on an $11 million renovation of Easton High School, a $557,000 roof replacement at St.

Michaels High, and the installation of $2.45 million in computer equipment for the county's five elementary schools. Talbot School Superintendent J. Samuel Meek defended the optimistic request at a recent school board meeting. "I know about the county's budget troubles, and I know it's a sizable increase, but to not ask for it would be dishonest I don't want to mislead anyone into thinking our needs are being met when it is clear that they aren't," he said. However, Talbot County Councilman Robert Higgins doubted that the county could meet the school board's wishes.

"Quite honestly, I don't see how we could do a $4.5 million increase in fact, I don't know if we will be able to keep funding at the current level," he said. According to Higgins, the county will not benefit this year Inside Today; A -i, WINNIE WHITBY III charged in murders don't want to mislead anyone into thinking our needs are being met when it is clear that they aren't." J. Samuel Meek from carryover budget funds, as it did in fiscal 1995. "If all revenues remain the same as last year, we will have about $1.8 million less than last year," he said. "You simply have to review what your revenue projections will be, and the fact that the schools already get about 62 percent of the county funds." Much blame for the funding crisis has been placed on Talbot's property tax cap, which prohibits the county council from setting property taxes above the 1978-79 constant yield rate.

It has kept property taxes extremely low currently 65 cents per $100 of assessible property value, by far the lowest in the state. Hoping to make crucial education dollars available by budget time, the school board along with several community groups and private citizens filed a lawsuit Jan. 31 challenging the legality of the 17-year-old cap. Two areas of greatest concern to education officials have been Talbot's low average teaching salaries and the lack of computer equipment in the county's elementary schools. These concerns are reflected in the budget request: while the board is requesting more money in nine of 10 funding categories, the biggest proposed increases Please see BUDGET, p.

10A Jones named to state's school board CENTREVILLE A retired Kent Island educator has "returned to his roots" as a member of the State Board of Education. Gov. Parris Glendening has appointed Morris Jones of Stevensville to a four-year term to the 12-member state board. Jones was appointed Friday along with a Baltimore business executive and a former Allegany County commissioner. The appointment is effective July 1.

Jones is the executive director of the Kent Narrows Development Foundation. He was formerly the executive director of the Queen Anne's County Chamber of Commerce. Jones began his career as a teacher in Caroline County in 1950. He served as principal for Stevensville High School from 1953 to 1962. He has served on state education department committees and is a retired executive director of the Maryland State Teachers Association.

His wife, Jeanne, is a retired teacher, and their two daughters are currently public school teachers. Jones said education is the most important service the government can offer "It's important because education always affects the next generation," Jones said. By JOHN GRIEP Staff Writer CAMBRIDGE A 19-year-old Cambridge man wanted for the early February murder of a 68-year-old Cambridge woman may nave fled to the West Coast, police said. Yeseme Pierre Irby of 722 Washington Cambridge, is wanted for the Feb. 7 murder of Virginia E.

Sharps at her Washington Street home. In a phone interview Tuesday, Cambridge Police Cpl. Wayne Bromwell said police "did receive some information that it's possible (Irby) might have gone to the West Coast." Money for D.A.R.E. officer discussed Photo by Roxane Doster Wattj murder, abduction, robbery, theft and related charges, police said. Cambridge police were called to the Washington Street home about 6:14 a.m.

Feb. 7 for a report of a possible abduction. When officers went to the home to investigate the call, they found Sharps' body. She apparently was shot once in the head with a handgun. Police received the report from a 19-year-old Moores Avenue resident, who reported the abduction after Irby allegedly stole her car.

The silver 1989 Nissan Maxima was recovered in New York and was being Held by police for Please see SUSPECT, p. 10A West End Association, said, "I think it's been a wonderful program and I'd like to see it continue." Ken Morgan, chairman of the East End Association's public safety committee, said the program allows the police department to "gain a rapport with young people. "I can't help but think that the Easton Police Department has benefitted from this program," Morgan said. Murphy said he was not asking for funding to be cut, but questioning how the program was funded. "We're not going to discontinue the D.A.R.E.

program, I can assure you," Murphy said. Morgan suggested Easton consider asking other towns to contribute to the program since the D.A.R.E. officer conducts educational sessions in schools throughout the county. The police board also discussed the proper procedure for handling payment of town parking tickets. Murphy said the town clerk also serves as the financial officer for the town and payments are supposed to be handled through the clerk's office.

Blessing said the police department began handling parking tickets about 10 years ago, taking Please see OFFICES, p. 10A I Ann Landers 'r 5C Astrograph 4C Calendar: 1C -Qasstfleds 4-10B Comics--' -5C 'Editorial 4A Financial 6A Life on the Shore "He Maryland news 3A Nation World 2A Obituaries 9A Regional SA Sports MB TV listings 4C Weather K)A By JOHN GRIEP Staff Writer EASTON Town police board members and residents discussed funding for the town'sDrug, Awareness Resistance Education officer during a meeting Tuesday afternoon. With Easton's D.A.R.E. officer resigning to join the Denton police department, Easton police will be unable to provide D.A.R.E. training in Talbot schools for the rest of this school year.

Easton Police Chief R. Edward Blessing said the department was unable to enroll an officer in a training course being offered in Norfolk, but hopes to have a new D.A.R.E. officer selected in time for summer training in Southern Maryland. Blessing said grant money Says for 75 percent of the D.A.R.E. officer's salary, with Easton and Talbot County splitting the remaining 25 percent.

Easton Mayor George P. Murphy questioned the split, pointing out that the town provides the officer and the car for the program. "The town is putting the man tad the car into the program, why can't the county pay the full 25 percent?" Murphy asked. Blessing said Easton police first received a three-year grant Photo by Chris Tyroe Ken Morgan, chairman of the East End Association's public safety committee, discusses the need for a police advisory board during the open police board meeting Tuesday afternoon. Maryland -Tuesday S-Sglt S6t Tuesday 4-digtt: S28S Match Five: 01-15-15-24-35 Delaware 7 Tuesday afternoon S-dlgfr: TvS Tuesday afternoon 4-digit 1414 Tuesday night S-ctlott: 803 Tuesday night 4-dlglt: 3023 Delaware Lotto: 08-09-1 V-13-25-32 Easton Town Clerk Robert Karge said the town uses money forfeited from convicted drug dealers to pay for its share of the costs for a D.A.R.E.

officer. Several residents spoke in favor of the program, suggesting the town continue to fund the position. Marion Blake, president of the for the program about five years ago, with the town paying the full 25 percent. When the grant expired, the town asked the county to apply ior another three-year grant to continue the program. Blessing said the town could not re-apply for funding after the first grant expired.

0.